Reasons Why You Shouldn't Use Your Cell Phone in the Toilet
Since the advent of smartphones, taking a magazine or paper book to the bathroom has become less common. Instead, most people use their time in the bathroom to check Twitter, Facebook or follow WhatsApp groups, although you should stop doing that.
Health-wise, it's not advisable to take your cell phone to the bathroom, as it's one of the places in the house that has the most bacteria, and perhaps the most. No matter how clean it is, germs and pathogens live in the toilet bowl, and they get crushed every time you flush. And it's hard to get a clean cup to the point where there aren't several types of it.
The problem is, if you’re constantly going to the bathroom with your cell phone, it’s practically inevitable that a lot of that bacteria will end up on your smartphone’s screen and body. Even if you wash your hands before and after, you won’t be able to prevent your screen’s cleanliness from leaving a lot to be desired.
A recent study by cybersecurity company NordVPN found that 80% of people use their mobile phones in the bathroom.
Thanks to a study conducted several years ago, we know that our mobile phone screens are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, some of which are very dangerous. We interact with them every day, with our fingers, after touching the ground or surfaces that have not been properly disinfected. This causes them to accumulate and multiply, creating a real source of infection.
So why can’t we take our cell phones to the bathroom but we can take a book? The explanation seems obvious: we don’t carry books around everywhere, we don’t spend all day with them, and we don’t usually bring them to the table while eating. This limits the chances of bacteria getting into our bodies.
According to experts, what is recommended to avoid infection such as that caused by the E. coli virus is to clean the smartphone screen regularly, preferably using a wet or disinfectant material.